The words “Big Fresh” mean a lot of different things around the world.
Big and Fresh
Supermarkets, logistics companies, burgers, soft drinks and air fresheners – there are a lot of things claiming to be both big and fresh. There is even a terrible Danish rapper whose one track is so bad that I can’t bring myself to post it.
We had a bit of a storm last night. I woke up around 2am (I think) to what sounded like a train coming past the window. A few minutes later the lightning started – it produced an effect similar to a small child playing with the light switch. I got up and closed all the windows in the house at the same time as the torrential rain started up. Unfortunately we don’t have particularly well sealed windows so even though they were closed, rain started coming in through the cracks on one side of the house.
I decided to go back to bed and deal with it in the morning. Just as I was drifting off I heard a heavy thonk sound from the roof and wondered vaguely what it might be. Turns out it was this:
Shame about the pot…
I went up onto the roof this morning to find all kinds of debris from the storm – leaves and branches, random bit of rubbish and this, a broken pot. The pot is not such a big disaster as in truth I hated that ugly plant and had been planning to get rid of it (a job I have been meaning to get round to for weeks now). It would have been nice to reuse the pot, but hey-ho, at least this should spur me into getting the job done now.
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| On my way to work there were more signs of the storm (the sign is not normally hanging down like that). |
When friends visit and the weather is bad I feel somehow guilty about it – it’s just not what you expect is it? Rio is meant to be sunny! About a year ago a couple of friends from England were in Rio for 10 full days and didn’t see one day of sunshine. I met them after they’d been up to see the Cristo (Christ the Redeemer Statue) and when I asked if the view had been any good they replied “We could just see his head”. Disappointing.
Last November I got really fed up as the weather seemed to be conspiring against me. All week it would be hot and sunny and then, when the weekend came around, it would be like this.
Man, I just love this stuff. The lyrics are brilliant – romantic/soppy/poetic in equal measure and it would sound hideous if sung in English. But just so the non-Portuguese speakers get some idea of what she’s saying, here is my raggedy translation:
The rain is falling outside
You’re going to get wet
I’ve asked you already, don’t leave
Wait for the weather to improve
Even nature itself
Is telling you to stay here
Answer the call of someone who adores you
Wait a little
Don’t go now
You staying here will make a heart happy
That is tired of suffering disillusionment
I hope that nature
changes your mind…